Storm Front

Storm Front (2000) Jim Butcher

Amazon had been recommending Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files to me for about a year However, the cover just looked like something I was not going to be interested in reading. But it kept coming up in relation to authors that I really like (Charlaine Harris, Simon Green) so I decided to actually look at the book.

Despite a cover made it seem like I book I would not like at all, I decided that as I’ve really enjoyed the mystery / fantasies that I’ve read recently, so I ended up (eventually) getting the book.

I’m glad I did. I enjoyed this book, and read it in a single sitting, putting it down only long enough to shower. This story was fast paced and fun, the characters were well-done, and flawed in ways that make them more human and interesting.

Harry Dresden is the only wizard listed in the Chicago phone book. Although the fantastic is becoming more accepted in the world, there are still many who think Harry is little more than a charlatan. And the disbelievers include some officers on the Chicago P.D. who are always less than delighted when Harry is called in as a consultant.

This time, he’s called in on a very nasty case, that doesn’t make a lot of sense, either as a physical crime, or a magical one.

The writing was mostly excellent, although I have to admit that going back and thinking about the story, there are a couple plot points that bothered me.

Begin Spoilers
(rot 13)

Svefg, V fgvyy qba’g trg jul Znepbar jnagrq Uneel Qerfqra bhg bs gur jnl. V qba’g frr ubj ur jnf tbvat gb svther guvatf bhg uvzfrys. Znlor V’z whfg zvffvat fbzrguvat.

Frpbaqyl, nf fbba nf ur znqr gur ybir cbgvba, V xarj gung abguvat tbbq jnf tbvat gb pbzr bs vg. Naq jura ur chg gur cbgvbaf va vqragvpny obggyrf, V jnf pregnva gung n zvk-hc jbhyq vafhr. Guvf npghnyyl obgurerq zr ng gur gvzr, ohg V svtherq bar genafcnerag cybg cbvag jnfa’g gbb onq.

Guveqyl, V fgvyy qba’g haqrefgnaq jul gur guht uvg Uneel va gur urnq jvgu n ong. Jnf gur onq thl jngpuvat Uneel gung pybfryl gung ur xarj gb guerngra uvz, naq gura pbzr onpx gung avtug naq xvyy uvz–jvgu n qrzba ab yrff? V whfg qba’g haqrefgnaq jul gung unccrarq.

End Spoilers

However, I have to admit that other than the bit with the potion, none of this bothered me when I was reading the story. Only when I was thinking about it afterwards. And because these things didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story, I’m inclined to let them slide.

Excellent fantasy, exellent storytelling, and although the mystery elements were, in retrospect, less than stellar, still good. A fast-paced, thoroughly enjoyable read.
Rating: 7/10

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